Monogamous
by Seruleyan-Wings
Summary: Perhaps it wasn't how perfectly all the pieces should fit together. Perhaps it was just how all the imperfect & torn pieces fit together perfectly.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Just a series of vignettes that I'm doing for a 50 themes contest. None of these stories are related to the other, so just read along and tell me what you think!

---o---o---o

**1. Intro**

As Sakura meets her genin team for the first time, she feels a rush of excitement and nostalgia at the same time.  
They sit on the steps of the bridge, eyes hopeful, ignorant, and trusting all at once as they gaze up at her. She smiles as she remembers being in their spot 13 short years ago, back when she knew everything and had her life all planned out.  
In retrospect, her life did not exactly turn out according to plan.  
She was going definitely going to be the one to marry Sasuke. _Instead she married Lee last spring and has never been happier._  
She would beat that Ino-pig in love no matter what. _Ino got married two years before her, and Sakura was the maid of honor at her wedding._  
She would show the 'dead last' how stupid and pompous he was. _Last week was Naruto's initiation ceremony as Rokudaime Hokage. He was so nervous, but Sakura wrote his speech for him and was the first to stand and applaud._  
And team 7 would always be together to the end. _Naruto had finally brought Sasuke back…alive._  
Isn't it funny how life surprises you in ways you never expected?  
"So," she starts, calling her troop to attention as she leans against a wooden post. "It's time to introduce yourselves. Who wants to go first?"

**2. Together Again**

Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and Sasuke hadn't all been living together in the beginning-- or, at least, not all of them together. At first it had been Naruto and Sakura, and then Sai. A few months later, Sakura had agreed to let Sasuke stay with them after Naruto brought him home again, beaten, bruised and barely alive.  
He wouldn't speak to anyone at first. Only stared, as if trying to memorize their faces and the memories that were attached to them.  
As if it wasn't what he wanted at all to be back among the people that loved him.  
Finally, after Naruto had tripped down the stairs for the first time since Sasuke had been back, Sasuke, oh so quietly… had said 'dobe'.  
It was hesitant, as if he was locked safely within a bubble, and speaking would pop it and return him to his lonely world.

But Naruto had hugged him fiercely, Sai smiled slightly, and Sakura ran up and kissed him full on the mouth, almost bursting into tears with happiness.  
They were finally a together again.

**3. Love**

At 2 o'clock in the morning, Sakura was awakened by a soft grunting and moaning.  
Thinking they were under attack, she reached for her kunai and quickly sat up in a defensive position.  
When she gained her senses, she realized that it was only her blond idiot teammate.  
Grumbling to herself, she put her kunai away and was prepared to curl up in her warm sleeping bag, that is until she heard Naruto whisper the forbidden name.  
"Sasuke."  
She stopped, and looked over toward him.  
Tears streamed down his face as he grasped tightly onto his covers. His tan face was covered in sweat and contorted into one of anger and hurt.  
"Sasuke-teme!…"  
This was the third week in a row that he had had a dream about their prodigal teammate.  
He awoke from the nightmare quickly by sitting up in bed, but was caught by Sakura's slender body as she slipped her arms around him.  
"Oh…Sakura-chan? Did I…wake you?"  
She didn't answer him, only quietly sobbed into his shoulder as her arms held onto him tightly.  
His hands wrapped around her, one in her hair and one on her back as he tried to console her, but couldn't stop the tears that threatened his eyes as well.  
"Sakura-chan…I'm so sorry…"  
But he had nothing to be sorry for.  
Sakura was sorry that she had realized that she loved him too late.  
He was already in love with someone else.

**4. SakuraxAnyone**

Sakura, she decided, was a winner at a losing game  
And almost everybody in Konoha knew this.  
It started in the academy with Sasuke as genin. He ripped her heart out and spat on it when he left to pursue his brother.  
By the time she was 15, her love had progressed toward Naruto, but he broke her heart as well when he revealed to her in confidence that he was gay after she found him and Sai making out in her living room.  
Having her heart ripped out by the two people she loved most, she decided to be done with guys for awhile. So, when she turned 18, Ino took her out drinking. Somehow, both kunoichi ended up in the alley behind the bar with their tongues down each other's throats. Their tryst lasted briefly, only two weeks, until they decided that they were straight. But for several weeks after the affair, every time she touched herself, she thought of Ino.  
When she turned 23, she had started to date Konoha's youthful ninja. Neji's son brought him in, declaring that his sensei had risked his life protecting his young students and he was the only one who did not suffer severe injury. Lee made a quick recovery, and his students came to visit him everyday.  
Sakura was touched, and decided to reward Lee with a date.  
Two years later, they got married.  
Eight years later, Lee died in a valiant attempt to save the future Hokage's life.  
3 years after that, Sakura loved only her two children and her friends.  
That is, until she was called to the Hyuuga mansion to care for Lord Hyuuga's ailing eyes.  
Who would've guessed that she would've had so much in common with the Hyuuga prodigy?

**5. Rivalry**

Naruto finally straddled Sasuke on the couch; his wrists pinned above his head and his mouth hotly kissing his neck.  
Sasuke fought struggled beneath the blond, but was outmatched by Naruto's raw physical strength.  
He'd have to think of a different approach.  
Sasuke did not respond, not even when Naruto started to delve his tongue lower onto Sasuke's exposed and chiseled chest.  
'Dobe…' he murmured. 'You'll have to do better than that.'  
Sasuke then lifted his hips to grind into Naruto's crotch, and instantly felt the boy's body respond.  
Naruto hissed, and raked his teeth across Sasuke's nipple, his tongue teasing the tender flesh.  
Sasuke merely laughed.  
"Still too easily riled, usuratonkachi. I get you up without even using my hands."  
"Fuck you, teme." Naruto spat, moving up to bite down viciously on Sasuke's shoulder and neck, drawing blood.  
Sasuke groaned, but an evil smile still played on his lips.  
Naruto suddenly felt a snake make its way into his pant leg, and twist up his leg and thigh, to tease his erection.  
Naruto shuddered, and Sasuke took this opportunity to flip Naruto over and onto the floor.  
Sasuke twisted Naruto's arm behind his back and then leaned up to lick Naruto's ear.  
"With pleasure, usuratonkachi."  
"Hey! Take that upstairs, you two! I don't want to clean spit and sweat and jizz off of my new couch."  
From where Sai was painting and observing the pair from the corner, he chuckled and responded to the pinkette.  
"You might as well be talking to a wall, hag. Don't you know nothing can stop them once they've started? They're rivals in everything."

**6. Teamwork**

Naruto had always wanted kids.  
It had been his dream ever since he was a boy to settle down with a good woman and start a family.  
Then the teme had to leave, and that stirred a whole new pot of emotions within him.  
For awhile, that woman had been Sakura.  
He laughed to himself as he realized, maybe it still was.  
He sat in the waiting room with Sasuke and Sai, waiting for the nurse to come out.  
It had been almost 11 hours since her contractions started, and he couldn't be more nervous.  
"Mr. Uzumaki, Uchiha, and…Sai?"  
All three men stood up and walked toward the nurse. She gave the three of them a perplexed look, then cleared her throat.  
"Congratulations, you are now the….fathers…of a beautiful baby girl."  
Naruto whooped in delight and grasped on to Sasuke as Sai chuckled and Sasuke just smiled a real smile.  
"Can we see her now?!" Naruto asked, unable to contain his delight.  
"Yes. Go on ahead."  
But the three shinobi were already gone.  
Sakura was droopy eyed, but sat up in bed holding a tiny pink bundle.  
"Sakura-chan!…" Naruto glowed as he ran up and hugged her.  
"Naruto! Sai, Sasuke-kun…"  
It was the squishiest, blobbiest, and tiniest thing any of them had ever seen.  
She even _smelled_ pink.  
"She's beautiful." Naruto was barely able to speak at the sight because he was crying so hard.  
Sai gazed in wonder, caressing the tiny face, and Sasuke looked on, a prideful gleam in his obsidian orbs.  
Some in Konoha thought that the bond of the medical kunoichi and her three teammates was something quite unusual.  
But when they're teamwork created something as beautiful as this, none of them would trade it for anything in the world.

**7. Sweet Kisses**

"Sai, what do you like best about me?" Sakura asked as she prepared for her third date with Lee.  
"Your humility." He responded flatly.  
She had thrown her brush at his head, but he deftly caught it with one hand as he continued painting.  
"Fat head…" she fumed, trying to not super-punch him into oblivion.  
Instead, she focused on continuing to apply her perfume and jewelry.  
"Is he going to propose?" Sai inquired, taking in her appearance.  
"No! I mean…I don't know…why would you ask?"  
"You're dressing really fancy."  
"It's what girls do on dates. You would know if you've ever been on one." Sakura held a diamond necklace up to he neck in thought then put it down.  
Sai merely smiled.  
"Do you plan on sleeping with him, then?"  
A hangar was now flung at Sai.  
"THAT is none of your GODDAMN business, you stupid whore!!" she flushed furiously.  
"Sai, knock it off!" Naruto called as he walked in the door carrying dinner. "If you piss her off any more, she'll end up taking it out on poor Lee!"  
Sai was quiet and painted as Sakura fumed, looking around for her high heels.  
A half-hour later, she was finally ready. She grabbed her purse and walked toward the door, passing Naruto as she went. Naruto took this opportunity to cop a feel.  
"NARUTO, YOU…!!!"  
But his mouth caught hers before she could finish, his tongue darting playfully between her lips.  
Sakura promptly slapped him, and stomped out the door.  
"It's amazing that a girl with such a foul temper can give such sweet kisses." Naruto mused as he rubbed his red cheek.  
Sai laughed.

**8. Heaven**

Ninja saw many things in their lifetime that no human should ever have to endure.  
It often made it hard to believe in a God or Heaven.  
A lot of ninja lived for the moment, marrying young, loving and living hard, and then fighting to the death for their country.  
But, it was quiet moments like this, when Naruto and Sakura were fast asleep laying on either side of Sai with their heads on his shoulder, which actually made him ponder thoughts of God.  
Perhaps heaven wasn't a place to be looked forward to after death.  
Perhaps, heaven was on earth afterall, in little moments like this.

**9. Time-keeping**

Naruto could find competition in anything.  
From eating to sex, he would always find something.  
Especially if you were his long-standing rival.  
"15 minutes." Naruto stated as he kept a lookout from his perch in the Forest of Death. "I swear to god, it was just 15 minutes."  
"Dobe. What, was it your first time?" The Uchiha jounin asked as quietly as possible.  
"No! That's just when I'm alone." Naruto leaned back on the branch.  
"And when you're with someone else?"  
"Depends on if I have other plans or not."  
"Dobe." Sasuke scoffed as he kept his perch on the branch below Naruto, keeping hawk-like eyes on their target.  
A companionable silence passed between them for a few minutes, or at least until Naruto opened his big mouth again.  
"How about you?"  
"Would you keep it down, dobe? We're supposed to be on a mission."  
"I know, but I'm BORED. C'mon…how long does it take you?"  
"Like I'd tell you."  
"Why not?"  
"Because…not only is it none of your business, but I don't keep track of time when I do do it."  
"Oh my god. You are SUCH a liar!"  
"Shh!" Sasuke hissed. "I'm going to sever your vocal cords if you don't shut up!"  
For a few minutes more, silence ensued.  
"Sakura said that Lee's the fastest she's ever been with."  
"Sucks to be her, then." Sasuke mumbled.  
"And Shikamaru said he can hardly keep up with Temari when they do it anymore."  
Sasuke's face turned a deep red.  
"What are you hoping to achieve from this conversation, exactly, usuratonkachi?"  
"Come on! Tell me!"  
"No!"  
"Please?"  
"No."  
"PLEASE?"  
Sasuke slapped a hand over Naruto's mouth, and his face drew close to his.  
"Shut. Up."  
After telling him with his eyes that he would screw his face up if he spoke another word, Sasuke pulled his hand away. And Naruto was quiet.  
The whole mission.  
Unfortunately, Sasuke realized as he sat around the campfire three days later, that maybe hearing Naruto's voice wasn't so bad after all.  
He gazed over at the blond, who was just laying on a rock near the river, boredly watching the stars.  
Sasuke sighed in defeat.  
"17 minutes." He said, poking the fire.  
Naruto just grinned to himself. "I knew it."  
Silence.  
"Well," Naruto hopped off of his rock and went to lie on his sleeping bag. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow when we head back home who has the faster time. Do you wanna race there to prove it?"  
"Go to sleep, dobe."  
But Naruto totally knew that he would.

**10. Eating Out**

In all his years with Orochimaru, Sasuke had thought he remembered everything he hated about Naruto.  
But oh, had he forgotten.  
He had forgotten how much of a glutton Naruto was with ramen, and how he'd always end up paying the bill at the end of the day.  
But that was when they were 12.  
Now that they were adults, Naruto was _worse_.  
But, he supposed it wasn't really Naruto's fault.  
Or maybe he was just jealous of the attention.  
Either way, he really wished they would've stayed at home and made instant ramen  
because if one more bitch laid their hand on Naruto's ass, he swore he would rip their fingers off and shove them down the person's throat.  
Male or female.  
And what was worse about that was, Naruto didn't even notice.  
He was so used to not getting attention, that he didn't recognize it when he did get it.  
But Sasuke knew it all too well.  
"Are you done yet, usuratonkachi?"  
"Are you kidding? This new ramen flavor is delicious! Old man Ichiraku is a genius!"  
"Actually," Teuchi started, "It was Ayame's idea! But she did inherit her genius culinary skills from me, so I'll take that compliment, I suppose!"  
"Oh, daddy, stop it!" Ayame giggled. Sasuke wanted to throw up.  
"Sasuke-kun, don't you want anything to eat? You look positively starved!"  
"I'm fine." He said as he tapped his fingers on the bar.  
"Aw, c'mon Sasuke! This is really good!" Naruto interjected.  
"So I noticed."  
"Quit being such a bastard and take a bite!" Naruto thrust his spoonful of ramen in Sasuke's face.  
Sasuke made a face and pushed Naruto's chopsticks away.  
"Just eat it and get done! I'm ready to go."  
"Bastard!" Naruto fumed, still holding the ramen toward Sasuke's face.  
But he just growled and turned his face away, ignoring the blond.  
Which was a bad idea.  
"Y'know, Naruto," A random waitress started silkily, leaning toward him on the counter & pushing up her boobs. "I have some secret ramen recipes at home that you should try. You should come over and taste test them for me."  
"Really?" Naruto perked up. "That'd be awesome!" the waitress grinned triumphantly in Sasuke's direction, but Sasuke merely scowled.  
Bitch. How DARE she attempt to seduce Naruto with ramen?!  
Fine.  
Two could play THAT game.  
"Dobe." Sasuke called to Naruto as he turned around in his seat and grabbed Naruto's wrist.  
Naruto watched curiously as Sasuke pulled Naruto's chopsticks over to his mouth, and dropped the tip of the noodles inside, wrapped his lips around them and sucking off the juice.  
He then, proceeded to suck the noodles inch by inch, slowly into his mouth without chewing; keeping his eyes locked on Naruto's the whole time.  
Naruto just stared, his eyes wider than saucers.  
Once he got to the chopsticks, he bit the rest of the noodles free, and kissed Naruto full on the lips.  
Naruto dropped both of his chopsticks onto the floor and turned red.  
Sasuke pushed his tongue into Naruto's mouth, letting him taste the savory sauce that once coated the noodles.  
Naruto moaned in ecstasy, and pulled Sasuke's face closer to his, returning the kiss passionately. Nothing was better than a ramen-flavored Sasuke.  
Once they parted, everyone in Ichiraku was staring; but Teuchi was trying so hard not to.  
Sasuke, grabbing a breathless Naruto by the forearm, turned to the new waitress and said:  
"Sorry, bitch. This one's mine."


	2. Chapter 2

**11. In the Rain**

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about dancing in the rain."  
Sai read the last line of his book, and smiled genuinely.  
Ever since he'd hit an artist's block, he'd taken up reading.  
And he'd read pretty much anything.  
He'd pick up different books that lay on Sakura shelves and peruse through them, finishing some before the end of the day. But the one he held now was his favorite.  
He'd read it at least 15 times.  
A few years ago, back when he was in Root, he never would have seen himself doing things like this, reading frivolous books at his leisure.  
His only mission in life was to complete he mission, nothing more and nothing less.  
But being assigned to Team 7 changed everything about his life, and that's why he read this book a lot.  
It reminded him of them.  
Especially this quote about "dancing in the rain".  
Naruto made a special effort to teach everyone he met how to dance in the rain.  
But Sasuke, he guessed, just had two left feet.

**12. Color**

"Okay, okay! I spy something…green."  
"Grass!"  
"No."  
"Leaves!"  
"No."  
Kakashi's jounin vest!"  
"No."  
"Your eyes!"  
"Dumbass! How can I spy my own eyes?!"  
"Well, you know what color they are!"  
"Yeah but if I don't have a mirror on me, I can't spy them!"  
"Okay, FINE! Is it…my necklace?"  
"Nope."  
"That frog?"  
"No…"  
"…That snake over there?"  
"No…EEEK!! WHERE?!"  
Naruto burst into a fit of laughter as Sakura jumped backward and clung onto Sasuke. Once she realized the joke, Sakura promptly tackled Naruto to the ground.  
"You stupid idiot! How many times do I have to tell you to stop doing that?! I'm scared to death of snakes! How dare you! This is why I don't play games with you anymore!"  
Naruto tried his hardest to escape the wrath of the pinkette, but to no avail. She had hold of his blond locks and continuously slammed his face into the dirt.  
Kakashi and Sasuke just walked past them, minding their own business. Naruto and Sakura would catch up eventually.  
"You know it was his necklace, right?" Kakashi stated once they were out of earshot.  
"Yeah, she just didn't expect Naruto to guess right."  
Suddenly, Naruto came flying overhead and crash landed into the lake nearby.  
"Dobe." Sasuke muttered, continuing ahead.  
"Ah, young love."

**13. Suffering**

"You enjoy suffering, don't you?"  
Naruto just smiled sheepishly as he walked into his apartment. Shikamaru, Temari, Sai, and Yamato, who had all accompanied him on his last mission, greeted him when he came home from the hospital.  
"Did you just now get out of the hospital?" Yamato asked, surprised.  
"Yeah," Naruto limped over with a crutch under one arm, and sat on the couch beside Sai. "But I took a turn for the worst at the last minute."  
"He just tried copped a feel on Sakura whenever she was turned around and so she broke his wrist." Sai finished, moving his shogi piece into place.  
"Dumbass…" Shikamaru muttered, cigarette dangling from between his lips as he pondered his next move.  
"Hey, it's not my fault!" Naruto said.  
Temari shot Naruto a glare, but then just smirked and shook her head.  
"I suppose that groping is something that's encoded into male DNA." She quipped as she glanced over at Shikamaru. "Even when we beat the shit outta you men, you still try again the next day."  
"What can we say?" Naruto said, leaning back and putting his hands behind his head.  
"It's our favorite kind of suffering."

**14. Happiness**

Naruto swore that this time would be the last.  
But as he lie in the dark next to Sasuke, he knew that it wouldn't be.  
After sex, Sasuke would always roll over onto his side and draw into himself.  
Like, being with Naruto was the only time he'd ever come out of his shell.  
The only time he'd let himself indulge in something human.  
And Naruto would let him.  
Against Sakura-chan's warnings, he'd become a sex buddy with Sasuke.  
And that's all he was to him. Just a means to an end.  
It should make Naruto sad, but it doesn't. It doesn't even make him depressed.  
Because at least he is home now. At least Sasuke isn't alone.  
At least he'd kept his promise to Sakura-chan.  
His blue eyes glance over at the body next to him, and a smile plays on his lips.  
"Can't you see, I'm just happy to have you here?" he whispers aloud.  
He gets no response. Only the sound of the wind and two heartbeats.  
"Sasuke…why can't you forgive yourself and be happy?" Naruto reaches out and caresses his hair.  
_'Let me be your happiness…'_

**15. Art**

Sasuke was a work of art.  
From his strong facial structure and piercing black eyes, right down to his unbridled talent and pure raw power, Sasuke was a masterpiece.  
It's too bad that he didn't see it, though.  
That's why he let himself go to Orochimaru. He just saw himself as clay to be molded and not the sparkling marbled pillars that stood in foreign palaces.  
He would let himself go be shown off in Orochimaru's gallery.  
Didn't he see that Orochimaru couldn't appreciate his true beauty? That the snake bastard was just a collector who would only cheapen his true and ferociously pure breathtaking beauty?  
No.  
And that's a shame. Because Sasuke was a one of a kind.  
And Naruto would pay any price to have him back.

**16. Bonds**

Kakashi wondered how he should feel as the pink-haired medic nin took a seat in front of him at one of the fanciest restaurants in Konoha.  
Surely he hadn't done anything recently to piss her off.  
Surely she had no intention of destroying his reputation in front of Konoha's elite.  
Perhaps it was her teacher who had the intention of exacting revenge.  
Was this some ploy? Some twisted scheme to prove the point that Tsunade hated losing her betting games?  
Or maybe it was Naruto.  
Dear, mother of god. Why did he say yes when Sakura cornered him in the supermarket and asked him to have dinner with her? Why, why WHY?  
"Good evening, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura greeted, a pleasant grin on her face.  
"Evening." Kakashi answered.  
"Thanks for agreeing to have dinner with me. It's been a long time since we talked last."  
He couldn't help it when his eyes wandered down to her cleavage. _'Bad!'_ He mentally slapped himself. _'Focus! You're NOT a pedophile. She's your STUDENT for Christ's sake…'_  
"Yeah. I've been…busy."  
"I know. That's why I checked Tsunade's files to see if she had you going on any missions this week. I guess that's the downside to being a jounin of your caliber. _Everybody_ wants you." She batted her emerald green eyes at him, and then raised her water glass to her lips.  
_'Dear god. Is she hitting on me? Naw, she wouldn't…would she?'_  
Kakashi promptly raised his glass as well, to try and bide him some time to think, if anything.  
4 tail Naruto? He could handle it.  
Orochimaru attacks the village with gigantic snakes? No problem.  
Itachi traps you in Tsukiyomi no Jutsu? Walk in the park.  
But when your only female pupil starts hitting on you and she also happens to be your boss's apprentice…then it's time to throw in the towel.  
"Sakura," he started, trying to sound casual. "Is something on your mind?"  
"Yeah, kinda." She replied nonchalantly. " Y'know…I just thought it had been awhile since we talked last and maybe we could use some time to bond and...get to know each other again."  
'Shit. What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

_Stay tuned for part II of Kakashi and Sakura's "date"!_

**17. Conversation**

Yuuna had been a gift from god.  
With her bright blue eyes and gorgeous red hair, it was hard to see her otherwise.  
Naruto doted on her constantly, Sai would draw her and for her non-stop and Sasuke was the only one who could get her stop crying in the middle of the night.  
They were the perfect family.  
But sometimes, just sometimes, the conversation on her paternity would come up.  
Even though they talked about this many times before Yuuna was born.  
Yuuna was EVERYONE'S daughter.  
No one person was responsible for her.  
Even though, on a conscious level, Sakura knew that to be pure bullshit.  
And so did they.  
But, for Yuuna's sake, they agreed to let it go.  
Even though sometimes Naruto would say things like:  
"Aw, look at her blue eyes! She gets that from me, y'know!"  
And Sai would subtly comment:  
"She's really knows her way around a canvas."  
The only one who wouldn't say anything was Sasuke. But, she just assumed that Sasuke was waiting to train her to see if she had the Sharingan.  
It wasn't until around age 4, when Yuuna was diagnosed with autism, did everyone completely stop the conversation surrounding her paternity.

**18. Blood**

When Sasuke dreams, it's always about Itachi.  
He would see himself, standing over his brother's corpse and smiling.  
His goal finally achieved.  
Itachi's blood smeared his flesh and clothes, and he breathed it in like a fire.  
Yes.  
When he was alone, he thought of Itachi still.  
Thinking of the way his blood would cover him. How he would watch the crimson color fade from his menacing dark eyes.  
And Itachi's _fucking_ blood.  
It was almost an aphrodisiac.  
And he thought of Itachi as he stood over another useless human who had tried a failed assassination attempt. He had given him a slow death. He deserved worse.  
Sasuke knelt down and dipped his hand into the pool of blood that surrounded the man's throat.  
He closed his eyes, and imagined that it was Itachi's.  
He smeared some onto his cheek and ran his tongue into the coppery warmth and imagined Itachi.  
"Fuck…" he growled.  
But it wasn't Itachi's.  
Not yet.

**19. Showdown**

Strip poker was the dumbest game ever.  
How in the HELL had Ino talked her into this?  
She hated cards. She hated betting. She hated games in general.  
So why was she here?  
The only good thing about this night was that Sai had brought the sake'.  
Across the table sat Naruto, Sai, and Ino.  
The only one still clothed was Naruto.  
She was convinced that he was cheating.  
Ino was having a hell of a time "accidentally" groping Sai in inappropriate places.  
Naruto would eye them, then look at Sakura, and raise his eyebrows devilishly.  
She'd only flipped him off.  
"Well, Sakura, looks like you lose again." Naruto said, a cat-like grin on his tan features. "Time to lose the bra."  
"Screw you guys!" she threw her cards onto the table. "I'm done playing!"  
"Aw, c'mon!" Naruto said unconvincingly. "Don't be such a sore loser, Sakura-chan!"  
"That's easy for YOU to say, Naruto! You are still clothed!"  
"It's okay, Naruto." Ino piped up. "She doesn't have anything to see up there anyway. Just imagine flesh covered eggs, and there you go!"  
"Ino, you freaking whore! Go die in a ditch!"  
"If it makes you feel any better, I'll take off my shirt."  
"No, Naruto, that WON'T make me feel better."  
"It'll make me feel better!" Ino chimed.  
"Goodnight, everyone!" Sakura called.  
Sakura grabbed her wallet and purse, and stumbled into the living room, trying to find her shirt.  
Poker night was so stupid.  
"Oh my GOD, INO!" she heard from the kitchen. "YOU WEAR A WATERBRA?!"  
"HA!" Sakura wasted no time rushing in. " I KNEW IT!!!!"  
Ino, waterbra completely exposed, indignantly flew toward her rival.  
"It's just to enhance my features!" she protested, then promptly took a kunai and ripped off Sakura's bra.  
"Better than being flat-chested, forehead!"  
"Ino-pig you BITCH!"  
Sakura tackled her rival to the floor.  
Naruto just popped some chips into his mouth as he watched the girls brawl it out. It was even more interesting when Sakura popped Ino's waterbra.  
"I love poker night."  
"It's more like a whore showdown, isn't it?" Sai said, gathering the cards from the table.  
"That's why I love it. Now where the hell is my camera?"

**20. Pain**

He fell kneeling into the malicious waves of the ocean and tried hard not to feel.

Why pretend?

Naruto growled, shut his eyes, and dug the sharp points of his teeth deeper and deeper into his forearm until the only thing he could taste was the mixture of boiling blood and hot tears. Both endlessly gushed from within him.

He needed to be numb. Anything was better than being alive.

He screamed as his bare feet, ripped and torn from his rampage, burned heatedly in the salty waves. But he did not move, instead letting the stormy sea lick and acerbate his wounds.

That very feeling of being alive.

He hated it now.

Of having a heartbeat and warm blood course through your veins. Of speaking, maturing, loving, knowing. Of being ignorant and the best kept secret in Konoha. Of being the product of something greater than you are, and yet, to have no meaning at all.

The noises of guttural cries and torturous moans of agony resonated all around him, and he covered his ears and screamed to block the noise. It wasn't until the first wave drowned his lungs did he even realize that the noises were his own.

So Naruto screamed again, so loud and long, until he was sure that his parents could hear him from within the confines of heaven.

And all at once he wanted so badly to be with them.


	3. Chapter 3

**21. Protection**

'Maybe…protection doesn't always mean protecting other people.' Sakura thought as she watched her best friend, Ino, play with her youngest daughter, Grace.  
She almost admired her best friend's gumption.  
Ino may be a little flighty at times, but that didn't mean that she didn't know how to pick herself up again.  
Just a few days ago, Ino had come crying, no sobbing, to her best friend. She showed up on her doorstep in the middle of the night, crying her eyes out.  
And, not saying two words to her, Sakura let her in, and held her. She let Ino cry her eyes out until she could speak again.  
And that's when she found out that Ino was pregnant.  
Not only that, it was Shikamaru's baby.  
And he was already married to Temari.  
_"But…you don't love him, right?"  
"No, but he…Temari says that he's still in love with me."  
"Oh, oh my god, Ino. I'm so sorry."  
"I thought that she would kill me after she found out…but no…Temari...she just told me to talk to Shikamaru. To let him go so she could love him…it was killing her to see him…not love her completely…"  
"Well, you always said that you had that effect on men."  
Ino chuckled softly. Sakura wiped her eyes with a tissue and sat her down.  
"What am I going to do?"  
"What every good kunoichi does. Roll with the punches, and stand right back up."_  
Maybe protection has nothing to with rescuing other people, she thought.  
Maybe sometimes it means rescuing yourself.

**22. Solitude**

Naruto has never been much of a loner. He loves to laugh and be surrounded by people nearly every moment of his life. And this is why, after both Sakura & Sai have missions assigned to them in the same week, Naruto prefers to spend is "solitude" with his old sensei.

**23. Stupidity**

After awhile, hearing that chasing after Sasuke is a fool's errand gets extremely old. So when Naruto prepares his team for another mission chasing Sasuke's shadow, it is Sakura who turns a glare to the elder that admonishes their intentions.

"Perhaps it isn't stupidity," she says. "but human nature to chase after the lost souls of dear friends."

**24. Camel **

Whenever Sakura couldn't find a particular piece of clothing, she knew exactly whom it was who had taken it. And normally, she didn't care. She just assumed that it was Sai's way of learning about the things he had missed out on when he was in root.  
But it was the straw that broke the camel's back when she couldn't find her lacy black thong.  
"SAI!" she shouted, not caring if all of Konoha heard her. "I'm going to break every bone in your body if you don't bring back my underwear RIGHT NOW!"  
And it was when she heard Naruto's uproarious laughter that she knew something was wrong.  
She ran out into the hallway to see exactly what had happened.  
And her jaw hit the floor.  
"Hag, how exactly do you wear this thing?"  
Sakura covered her eyes and tried to keep her cool. After this, she was buying a new thong.  
"Not that way, Sai. You have it on backward."

**25. Goodbye**

No one ever thought that she would do it.  
When Sasuke had left, everyone assumed that the Sakura they knew and loved had been lost forever. She would be forever doomed to weep and mourn her inability to stop him from leaving.  
And part of that was true.  
But Sakura knew that the only way for her to recover herself was to say goodbye and bury the Sasuke she thought she knew.

**26. Pervertedness**

Kakashi was a pervert. Everyone knew that.  
So were Naruto, Jiraiya, and sometimes Sakura.  
But no one ever really took Sai for a pervert. Sure, he talked about penis' a lot, but everyone chalked that up to him being brutally honest.  
But when Sakura found out that Sai knew that she slept naked, (and had drawn it) shit hit the fan.  
"WHAT WERE YOU DOING PEEPING AT ME WHILE I WAS SLEEPING?!"  
"Research," he answered simply, that annoying smile on his face. Sakura promptly gave Sai a black eye.  
"QUIT USING THAT DAMNED EXCUSE TO COVER UP YOUR PERVERTEDNESS!!"

**27. Fortune and Fame**

Though Jiraiya had gained much fortune and fame throughout the land with his porno books, Naruto thought that it was unfair that that was the legacy he left behind.  
But, it wasn't until he became Hokage, did he realize that his legacy wasn't his books or reputation as the frog hermit, but his students and their great accomplishments.  
Naruto could only hope for fame and fortune as great as that.

**28. Music**

There were a lot of things to be learned about Kakashi, Sakura knew that. But it wasn't until she saw him training while listening to the radio did Sakura discover that he liked music.  
Not just any song, though. Only songs by one particular artist.  
Johnny Cash. The man in black.  
She smiled softly.  
Somehow, she should've known.

**29. Broken**

She had thought she'd seen everything, until the night she held Sai while he was crying.  
"Why," he kept saying. "Why am I doing this?"  
"Because," she whispered, petting his hair. "You're heartbroken."  
She knew the feeling all too well.

**30. Morning**

The most detestable quality in the human race is the ability to be a morning person.  
There were many things that Sakura loved about Lee. But when he tried to wake her up at 3a.m. to do get a "youthful head-start" on their day, she wanted to wrap his green tights around his throat until he lost consciousness.  
She settled, instead, for a chakra-powered punch to his "youthful" jaw.  
"Lee," she hissed "If you want this relationship to continue…NEVER wake me up this early unless you are dying. I am NOT a morning person."


	4. Chapter 4

"What does Lee have that I don't?" Naruto started, running his hands through his blond hair as he stared at himself in the foggy mirror.  
"Youth, apparently." Sai answered as he came out of the shower.  
"Screw youth." Naruto shot. "I have fox powers!"  
"You're not even straight, Naruto. Why do you care?"  
"Because he's a dip-shit. No WAY is he cool enough for Sakura."  
"And you think you are?"  
"…go to hell, Sai."

**32. Lust**

"So, let me get this straight… lust is a deadly sin?" Naruto inquired curiously as he perusing through a scroll on religion.  
"It is if you do it right." Jiraiya answered nonchalantly, earning him a swift kick in the groin from Tsunade.  
"Naruto," she started, thrusting more _appropriate_ reading material at the genin. "You should know better than to ask Jiraiya ANYTHING like that."

**33. Meet the Uchihas**

Tears streamed down Sakura's face as she read the scroll.  
It was a letter from Itachi.  
Written to Sasuke.  
And it was heartbreaking, to say the least.  
She never would have even guessed that the Uchiha clan had been capable of true evil.  
Or that Itachi was trying to protect his little brother from his own clan.  
The letter began:  
'If you are reading this, otouto-chan, then that means you have already killed me. And by doing so… you can live the way that I never could...'

**34. Live**

"I only lived to kill him. He's dead, dobe'."  
"But you're not! Get over yourself and come home!"  
Sasuke merely smirked at his self-appointed savior as he untied his robe to reveal the gaping wound in his stomach from his battle with Itachi.  
"I will go home only to die there."  
"No." Sakura whispered from behind him before she knocked the boy unconscious. "Sasuke, you will go home to _live_."

**35. Run**

_"Run and cling to your pathetic existence."_

The thought burned in Sasuke's mind, and tortured his very being. He keeps running, going, until he can find Itachi, and bury his cold steel into his heart.  
But someone else runs behind Sasuke. And always will be, clinging to Sasuke's pathetic existence, and stop him from running once and for all.

**36. Sunrise**

In the evening, Sakura still isn't asleep, worrying for her best friend and wondering why she hadn't gone with him. Lee does his best to comfort her.  
At midnight, she stands at the gates of Konoha because of a nightmare.  
At sunrise, she discovers that her nightmare and dream had come true.  
Naruto is alive, but barely.  
He stubbornly carries Sasuke in his arms, limp and unmoving.  
"Please," Naruto says, meeting Sakura's unwavering gaze. "I brought him home. You, bring him back."

**37. Modern**

'Modern technology sucks.' Naruto thinks as he flips through the TV channels. '100 channels, and nothing to watch.'  
"We could put in that movie Kiba gave us."  
"It's probably porn."  
"No! It's a horror movie. Ino said she's seen it."  
"Why would you watch a movie Ino recommends anyway?"  
"Because…" Sakura glared at Naruto. "She keeps up with those things. She's modern, unlike SOME people."  
"She's stupid," Naruto murmured as he continued flipping the channels.  
"Yeah…and that's why she used to date you."

**38. Haunting**

Most of the village tended to simply ignore the Uchiha massacre, leaving the property untouched.  
But soon, the property became surrounded with stories about the spirits of the undead, who search for revenge.  
And, like most scary stories, it is believed to be bullshit.  
But Sakura began to believe in the stories when a man entered the hospital screaming and insane.  
His eyes had been ripped from his head and from his waist down, his skin had 3rd degree burns.  
He was entered into he psych ward after he healed.  
No one dared search for the friends he claimed accompanied him on that night.

**39. Chibi**

"Man, Sai! Why did you have to draw me like this? I look retarded!"  
"Aw! It's chibi! How cute!" Sakura gushed. "I never knew you could draw something this cute! Could you draw me next?"  
After a while, Sai temporarily resigned from missions. He really didn't need the money anyway.  
He never knew that he could make such a profit from people in this "chibi" way. Everyone seemed to want his or her chibi portrait drawn.  
He smiled.  
And to think this all started just as a way to piss Naruto off.

**40. Artwork**

"Buuuut Sakura-chaan! I HATE museums!!"  
"Shut up and stop whining! This is for Sai's birthday!"  
"But can't we just get him some kunai or a gay porn magazine for his birthday?"  
"NO! I've had this planned for a LONG TIME and we're not going to screw this up!"  
Sakura drug Naruto through the museum, until she came upon her prize.  
Today, the museum was holding a sale auctioning off different pieces to benefit local artists. Sakura knew about the auction ahead of time and anticipated this sale for several months. She was so thankful that she had saved up enough ryou to buy Sai's favorite piece.  
Often, when Sai wanted to think, he'd run off to this museum and stare at this painting for hours.  
And, as Sakura paid the man and took the piece from his hands, she realized why.  
It was his piece.  
And he had titled it 'Friends'.  
It was the first painting he had actually titled, and it was about their team.


End file.
